The Labor enquirer., 1887-04-09

p"sh now pursuing MS tF1veIs m>EurOp'
sends us series Of notes upon the dark sid
Of life In Paris. They are nun OF curious IL
J teTcst, a. the observations OF an Oriental 4
the gnyest Of civilized cities. sadAkitsh
4 writes In gentle vein, and though his Er
glish Il at times somewhat crippled. We pr
FER TO print 1t as he wrote II.
4 IN By sADAxrrsHE HARrMANn.
Il Afew days ago visited a station house
When was going to leave, a girl ID rags
hardly twenty years old, entered an,
asked for . nights lodging. I becam
witness of The following dialogue: "wh'
are your your names" ''rhey call me 4
ChiSopseae"ls nick-name). aThats n,
name." II have no other" "what is th,
name of your familys" "I donot know
"where are your parentsf" ~ DO no
know "Have you not known them p
Newer" "Does nobody take care of you y
Nobody" "With whom did.live till nows'
with all the world" But where?'
"Nowhere," and she rubbed her cold hands
went. Her every word had pierced
my heart. 1t was almostmidnight. There
on the other side Of the boulevard, in that
palace-like building, some count gave an
evening party, whereby, without doubt
several thousand francs were spent. Dear
reader, judge yourself how have felt that
night.
Yes, friends, the fate of many women in
Paris is very sad. Women who have not
learnt a trade land how many are not able
to do so y can earn no more than three
francs Tor go cents) per day, and that is
the utmost. Maybe they are thus able to
pay for their food, lodging and clothing;
but what remains to them If they are
without work or sicks There are hundreds
of women employed in sweeping the
streets; they have to commence at 4
o'clock in the mnrnina- ....i = ---.---
tlssy On bome, they are paid with one or
two francs. Those who carry out news
papers, or milk, or bread, get also NO more
than two francs per day. How do they
liver II is mystery. And is there really
no help for them, no help in the rich city
of Paris? Yes, if they are young and
handsome, there is one help, and a horri-
BILE one. How can mankind tolerate such
things in the nineteenth century?) But
those creatures who are weak and old, and
ugly besides, how do they liver ! do not
comprehend it. Yet suicide among women
is not as often met as among men, as
was informed at the coroner's Office Of La
Morgue. They do not kill themselves;
they disappear. Where toy Where are
they found? In the Salpetriere, in the in
frmaries, in the hospitals of the ihcura-
ables, in the almshouses, in the prisons,
in the insane asylums, where they weep as
in infancy, laugh without reason, where
they are like dead bodies, whose souls can
not be reawaked.
One evening l met on the Boulevard St
German little boy who timidly begged
me to buy box of matches. took a few
boxes and asked him how much he earned
per day. "Not much; I only do it since
three days." "Did you work beforer
"Yes, sir, in factory. l made paper
flowers" "How much did you get theres'
'sThey gave me five francs (Sl) ever!
month";
What printer has told me:
| The compositors who are paid by th'
hour receive the minimum of ID cents pc
hour, but in consequence of intelligence
and skillfulness, or the more difficult kin'
of work, they can gain as much as 16, 2C
or even 90 cents per hour. That make
for one day (ten hours work) a salary
Minimum, Sl.S0; maximum, $2,2 18th
average in most places, SLIGO. Many com
positors can earn their wages by piece
work; they get 13 cents for 1000 letters
Very few make more than S1.60 per day
The large printing houses pay 81 70
seven hours work; 40 cents more il the
I are employed at night. The best position
are occupied by those who work for g boo
: publishing company, as they have ~or
, all the year round, while during certai
months many, even large printing house
. keep only their best workmen and dii
t charge all others. General proof reader
earn from 50 to So per day; good pres
Q men about the same. The press feeder
, are generally boys, who learn the trad
: they get few francs per week.
: Good-cutters (pictures) who work ft
+ papers are paid by the square centimete
Q the price is, minimum, 8 cents. voo'
( cutter who understands his business ca
Il earn without difficulty So per day; II he
q very clever, and besides a quick wot tker,
h can raise his wages to "a, IS OF evs sn =
d but then he almost deserves the 'nhme
an artist.
Nv.
% It is not long othat the inhabitants
l. mo;son aags on some svenue had
.sna g., The polios iaspsstor to hold /
) quest in the follovinscass: He % me al
tl9snd in a garret { yospg dead 7oma